Tshwane eliminating 'cancer of fraud and corruption': Mayor

"To date, we have finalised 808 cases and a total of 165 cases have been referred for disciplinary action, with 55 criminal cases being registered," Ramokgopa said in Pretoria.

"Some of the cases investigated by our internal forensic investigation units have resulted in the dismissal of officials at various levels. Service providers that have caused the city to suffer financial prejudice through fraud have been required to reimburse the city."

He said weaknesses in the city's controls that were identified during the investigations had "assisted the city" in implementing more stringent control measures to mitigate the risk of fraud and corruption.

"Within the next financial year, the city will be expanding this operation by including a new division of cyber forensic experts to assist in the curbing of fraud and corruption that is perpetuated through electronic means," said Ramokgopa.

He said to counter corruption in the procurement of services for the city, a new electronic system would be introduced.

"The e-procurement system is being implemented and will result in substantial mitigation of the influence of human beings in the procurement selection process. All who register will be given equal opportunity to do business with the city," said Ramokgopa to applause.

"We have found that there has been preferential treatment. Some of our officials do not extend the same amount of opportunities to our service providers. So we are eliminating the influence of officials."

Ramokgopa said despite a tough economic environment, the Tshwane Metro continued to make notable improvements to the lives of residents.

"Following slow global growth rates in 2015, growth prospects in general across the globe remain subdued with South Africa's growth forecast adjusted downwards by the IMF (International Monetary Fund) to 0,6 percent, down from its initial forecast in January 2016 of 0,7 percent," Ramokgopa said.

"Economic indicators within the capital paint a different picture with our estimated economic growth rate at 2,4 percent which is considerably higher than the national average. Furthermore, the Tshwane unemployment rate is approximately 21,2 percent, which is also lower than the national average."

He said Tshwane's "resilient and above average economic performance" enabled the capital city to contribute at least 27 percent to the economy of Gauteng and over nine percent to the national economy, annually.

"Based on the Better Life Index, Tshwane is the quickest improving metro in South Africa with the highest growth rate in the index value over the 2011 to 2015 period. This implies that Tshwane is rapidly becoming the best place to live in, in South Africa," said Ramokgopa.

"When we account for public transport and access to digital connectivity, our position within the Index is significantly altered in relation to our peer metros."

Ramokgopa said the access of internet was critical in the fight to improve of the lives of millions of poor Tshwane residents.

"Our free WiFi project has radically undermined the adverse effects of unaffordable internet access by narrowing the hitherto, glaring digital divide. Today we dare say that ours was indeed such a unique innovation that we can claim and declare that our city is now one big internet, earning the brand Tshwane WiFi," said Ramokgopa.

"Since its inception, over 1, 4 million unique devices have accessed the Tshwane Free WiFi network, representing a staggering growth by 328 percent. Initially, we offered a daily cap of 250 megabytes with a speed of one megabyte per second. Today, the daily cap has been increased by a whopping 100 percent, to 500 megabytes, and the average speeds are a whopping 15 times faster."

Ramokgopa said the city now had 776 free WiFi hotspots. - ANA